Replace Risky Hot Dogs with Grass-Fed Franks

[by Nicole Willner]

What do sauerkraut, American baseball, street vendors, and Frankfort, Germany, have in common? All of these words are commonly associated with one of my favorite childhood foods—hot dogs. While growing up, beef hot dogs were a common item on my parents' weekly dinner menu. And as a side dish, well sauerkraut of course. The kitchen table's centerpiece of plastic containers filled with relish, deli mustard, and ketchup were in place to be turned upside down and squeezed on to the bun-cradled frank. The span of condiments on the dog was strategically designed in squiggly lines to perfectly accommodate each bite, as was the positioning of the hot dog in its soft white bun.

But even as the memory of this savory childhood meal makes my adult taste buds nostalgic, the truth is, eating those conventional tubes of processed meat can also mean digesting heart-damaging trans fats and elusive amounts of additives and preservatives—some of which are linked to allergies, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. In August, the American Institute for Cancer Research stated, "making processed meats an everyday part of the diet, as many Americans do, poses clear and serious [colon cancer] risks." They recommend avoiding hot dogs, sausages, bacon, ham, cold cuts, and other processed meats all together.

Here are some common culprits hidden in conventional franks:

- Sodium nitrates (and nitrites)

- MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein

- Corn Syrup

- Dextrose

So now that the bad news is out of the way, here's the good news—there are healthy and tasty meat-filled alternatives to traditional hot dogs. Yes, I said it. You do not have to give up the carnivore craving. Just eat your meat the healthy and green way: grass-fed.

You may already eat it filleted or roasted, but grass-fed meat can also be used to stuff our tasty sausage treats, uncured and preservative free. Grass-fed animals are treated with little to no antibiotics or hormones, contain less total fats than conventional meats, and have much higher levels of immune-boosting good fats like omega-3s. Now combine the health benefits of grass-fed meat with its environmental benefits which includes nurturing animals on small, grass pastures requiring no synthetic fertilizer, no transportation of corn or grain, and no over watering. I would say you've scored a home run. Let's celebrate with a grass-fed hot dog and sing along to "take me out to the ball game." So what if baseball season is over—franks are always in season in cities like New York and Chicago.

Last week I walked into my local Brooklyn hot dog joint Willie's Dawgs to test their grass-fed delight, and dog gone it, it was delicious! Let's Be Frank is the San Francisco based brand of uncured, grass-fed dogs carried at Willies. Personally, supporting my local hot dog purveyor justified eating a frank that traveled here from California. But when Frankfurter shopping in bulk, make sure you look for a grass-fed brand with minimal travel miles and baggage. Hot dogs raised and produced closest to the kitchen table will bring less of a carbon footprint into your home while also supporting local farmers.

And lastly, enhance your healthy hot dog by nestling the tasty tube into a multigrain bun and topping it with homemade sauerkraut. Homemade and unpasteurized sauerkraut, otherwise known as fermented cabbage is a natural probiotic, aiding your body's digestion and strengthening its immune system. Who knew eating a hot dog really could be such a healthy endeavor.

Bon Appetit!

Salivating over sustainable eats? Learn how to make your own with help from Emeril Lagasse in Planet Green TV's organic cooking show, Emeril Green.